As a content creator, prioritizing your mental well-being is vital for success. Your state of mind directly impacts your creativity, productivity, and overall happiness. With Mental Health Awareness Month in full swing, I’ve taken the opportunity to dedicate more time to practices that foster positive and joyful well-being. Additionally, I’ve been actively learning how to navigate the inherent challenges of being a creator on social media.
Social media platforms can be both a gift and a curse for content creators. On one hand, they provide a powerful avenue for self-expression and connection with a vast audience. On the other hand, the constant pressure to produce engaging content, deal with online criticism, and maintain a presence can take a toll on one’s mental health. It’s crucial to find a balance that allows you to leverage the benefits of social media while safeguarding your well-being. While finding myself in a creative funk, I’ve been exploring strategies and techniques that promote a healthy mindset to allow me to create and connect authentically with my audience.
Setting achievable goals and focusing on my unique strengths has helped me maintain a positive mindset, especially when comparing myself or experiencing moments of imposter syndrome. Setting goals that allow me to flow in my strengths keeps me focused, inspired, and motivated.
Scheduling downtime into my routine to disconnect, nap, and do nothing is imperative. I remind myself that I’m not a machine and that rest needs to be part of my routine.
Check-ins with other creators to discuss the latest social trends, bounce ideas around, and ask for input or advice have always helped my well-being. As someone who is a team of one, creating alone can be tough and uninspiring at times, so having a community is very important to me.
Speaking of community, I asked some of my favorite creators to share how they prioritize their mental health while running their creative business, maintaining a social media presence, and creating balance.
Rosalynn Daniels |
Host and Food content creator.
On her journey as a wife and mother, Rosalynn was challenged with fusing her love of a cosmopolitan lifestyle with her new and rewarding family roles. Her passion grew for recreating great dining and entertaining experiences for her everyday life with her family birthed the Rosalynn Daniels brand.
What systems have you implemented to help you manage your roles as wife, mother, and creator?
Hiring a social media manager. Social media can be a double-edged sword, especially for content creators striving to keep up with the ever-changing trends and algorithms. So, I decided to take control of my mental health and hire a social media manager, which has helped me stay on track.
By setting time limits and recognizing warning signs, like obsessively comparing myself to others, I can now enjoy the benefits of social media without sacrificing my well-being.
Balance is key, even in the digital world!
Learn more about Rosalynn| @RosalynnDaniels
David Quarles IV |
Interior Designer, Jewelry Designer, Content Creator, and Fitness Instructor.
How do you manage personal and brand expectations?
I’m now making it a point to push for long-term brand deals that pay more during that period so that I’m not working on a million campaigns with tight deadlines all at once.
If needed, I also like to remind brands that we’re working together because they’ve come to me for my magic. Our magic requires time and great effort to create beautiful work.
When it comes to boundaries and limiting my time on social media, I activate my social media use at 8:30 am when I’m on the stair climber at the gym. If it’s a day posting day, I post at 9:00 am to have enough time for engagement before I fully start my workout. During my work day as a designer, I pick up my phone at lunch, then shut it down from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm for naptime and aimless inactivity.
Naps are my secret to getting much done in the day. Since I like to create when the world is quiet, I nap during the middle of the day to either work later in the evening or wake up earlier to edit content with only the sound of the birds chirping.
Learn more about David | @David.QuarlesIV
Demetrius Robinson|
CEO and Founder of At Home With Savvy, an Interior design firm.
When prioritizing my mental health as a content creator, I must know when to step back and take a break to reduce the chances of mental and creative burnout. When I step back, I engulf myself in the things that fuel me. Traveling, surrounding myself with close friends and loved ones, working out, and simply being out in nature provides me with a much-needed escape and solitude.
In addition to those things, I ensure that I’m seeing my therapist routinely, even when I’m not having any issues with my mental health. Having someone to talk to about everything is essential to me as a content creator who works alone and is always in my head about everything.
Maintenance isn’t just for our cars, homes, and personal possessions, so be sure to perform your routine mental health maintenance!
Learn more about Demetrius |@Athomewithsavvy
Brittany J Seahorn|
Content creator, videographer, and laboratory informatics consultant.
Mental health has been a priority for several years after experiencing traumatic live events. I restarted my mental health journey in January after realizing how that trauma showed up in every area of life, including content creation. As a creator with a full-time career and family, I found myself losing motivation and passion for creating due to burnout from filling in any free time with trying to turn on a “switch” to create, but nothing felt good to me. I decided to take a step away to focus on prioritizing myself by finding mental health professionals who look and sound like me. Best decision of my life.
I’ve gained tools for setting boundaries for myself and my online community, creating systems that help me juggle everything on my plate with ADHD, and better understanding how my mind works so that my creativity can flow freely.
My transparency and the changes I made have been well-received by my community and strengthened the foundation of my social platforms.
Learn more about Brittany |@beestiing
John Baptist|
Multi-talented content creator and real estate investor.
One strategy I’ve used is to set boundaries and dedicate specific times for social media and content creation, allowing for breaks in between.
As content creators, we must recognize the significance of our mental well-being in shaping our success and fulfillment in the digital realm. By dedicating time to practices that promote positivity and joy while acknowledging and managing the challenges that come with being a creator on social media, we can cultivate a healthier and more sustainable approach to our craft. I challenge you to use Mental Health Awareness Month as a reminder to prioritize self-care, set boundaries, and seek support when needed. By nurturing our mental well-being, we enhance our creativity, productivity, and happiness and contribute to creating a more compassionate and supportive online community. Remember, your mental health matters, and by taking care of yourself, you are investing in the longevity and authenticity of your content creation journey.
Mental Health Resources:
This was a great post. Love all that these creators are doing for themselves and enjoyed learning some helpful strategies .